Avoid Portion Distortion

How to Downsize Your Dinner -- and Your Waistline

With obesity at epidemic proportions in the United States, it's no surprise that many of us are simply eating too much. And one extra-large reason for this is that the portions of food we're served have grown ever-larger over the last few years.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association earlier this year found that average portion sizes for nearly every category of food had increased since the late 1970s, both at home and at restaurants. Likewise, a report in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that many popular foods and beverages are now manufactured in sizes up to five times bigger than when they were introduced. Portions for many of these foods now exceed federal recommended standards by as much as eight times!

If we go back in time, a meal at a fast food restaurant might consist of a 4-ounce hamburger, 3-ounce serving of French fries, and a 10-ounce soda (compare that to the 7.6-ounce burger, 7-ounce serving of fries, and 32-ounce drink you might order today). Eating out in restaurants has taught us to also adopt the supersize mentality at home.

The result is that many people no longer know what a portion should look like.

Right-sizing Your Meals

So how do you go about getting your portions under control?

The first step should be to invest in a set of measuring cups and spoons, along with an inexpensive scale. You may be shocked to find out how much you are actually eating.

And don't worry that you'll have to carry a scale and measuring cups everywhere you go. Once you weigh and measure your food a few times, you'll have a better idea of what a normal portion looks like.

Another trick is to use everyday objects to visually estimate portion sizes. According to the American Dietetic Association:

A teaspoon of butter or margarine is roughly the same size as the tip of your thumb (to the first joint)

Three ounces of meat is equal to a deck of cards

One cup of pasta is about the size of a tennis ball

One bagel is about the size of a hockey puck

1 1/2 ounces of cheese is the size of three dominoes

Two tablespoons of peanut butter is roughly equivalent to ping-pong ball

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